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God Only Knows
"God Only Knows" is a song written by Brian Wilson and Tony Asher for American rock band The Beach Boys, released in May 1966 as the eighth track on the group's album Pet Sounds. Two months later, it was released as the B-side of "Wouldn't It Be Nice" in the United States. In other countries, "God Only Knows" was the single's A-side. According to historian John Robert Greene, "God Only Knows" led to the reinvention of the popular love song.5 The song names God in its title and lyrics, unusual for a pop single of its time, as Asher recalled: "Unless you were Kate Smith and you were singing 'God Bless America', no one 1966 thought you could say 'God' in a song." The sentiments expressed in its lyric were not specific to any God, and could be addressed to any higher force, being a song about moving forward after loss. Wilson later explained that his and Asher's intention was to create the feeling of "being blind but in being blind, you can see more". Sung by his younger brother Carl Wilson, the Beach Boys' recording was produced and arranged by Brian using an unorthodox selection of instruments, including French horn, accordions, sleigh bell, harpsichord, and a quartet of violas and cellos heard throughout the piece in counterpoint.6 The musical structure has been variously cited for its harmonic complexity, inspiring tension through its disuse of authentic cadences and a definite key signature. Its closing section features perpetual rounds, a device that was not normally heard in popular music of the era. "God Only Knows" was voted 25 in Rolling Stone magazine's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time,7 the second of seven Beach Boys songs to feature (the first being "Good Vibrations" at 6), and was ranked by Pitchfork Media as the greatest song of the 1960s.6 The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame included it as one of "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll".8 Contents 1 Musical structure 2 Lyricism 3 Recording and production 3.1 Personnel 4 Release history 4.1 Variations 4.2 Live versions 5 Recognition 6 Charts 7 Covers 7.1 BBC Music version 8 Notes 9 Sources 10 External links Musical structure The song is known for its harmonic sophistication2 and extensive use of inverted chords, including third inversions such as B7/A. The first chord of the verse (D major/A) is a non-diatonic chord. The tonic chord (E major) usually only appears with the major 3rd or the 5th in the bass. The entire verse progression sounds restless and ambiguous, until the line "God only knows what I'd be without you" when the chord progression finally reaches a clear goal (A–E/G#–F#m7–E). This has been cited by musicologists as a good example of how lyrical meaning can be supported and enhanced by a chord progression—along with the melody hook which also provides an example of "a sense of increasing melodic energy that comes by way of the gradually ascending line".9 Stephen Downes similarly named the song's "tonal plasticity" emphasized by the disuse of authentic cadences and root-position tonics as the reason for its "expansiveness".2 In musicologist Philip Lambert's opinion, the song's vocal counterpoint evokes the sacred traditions of a cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach or an oratorio by George Frideric Handel.10 The key gravitates between A major and E major,1112 while the bass-line was written in a different key from the rest of the song.13 Music theorist Daniel Harrison compared the song to an earlier Brian Wilson composition, "California Girls", as it both avoids a root-position tonic and suppresses a cadential drive.14 It also contains a step-wise descending bass-line like Wilson's other compositions on the Pet Sounds album.15 Dominic King believed the barbershop flat seventh gave the song "excessive sentimentality".16 After its instrumental linking passage, the key ascends to its fourth interval.17 According to author Jim Fusilli: "Brian came pretty close to writing himself into a dead end. There's really nowhere to go coming out of the bridge, which modulates to G major from D major but ends with a D major–A major–B minor pattern. Thus, when the song returns to D Major, it must do so from B minor, which is kind of a static change, particularly when the next chord is a B minor with only a slight variation in the bass."18 Along with the 8+4 measure verse/chorus scheme, Downes called the idea of a "bridge section in a related key" standard for rock/pop music, but adds: "What is different here, however, is how the move to the subdominant in the bridge conditions the tonal behavior of the entire song, which, though nominally in E Major, is characterized throughout by a tension between it and A major."2 The "choral fantasy" during this key change eventually concludes that "a clear sense has eluded us for the entire experience–that in fact, the idea of 'key' has itself been challenged and subverted", in Lambert's opinion.11 The song closes with perpetual rounds, a centuries-old technique that was not normally heard in pop music of its time.19 Lyricism See also: The Beach Boys § Spiritual beliefs An original handwritten manuscript of the lyrics to "God Only Knows" The song is told from the point of view of a man or woman contemplating life after death to his/her lover, as Asher describes, "'I'll love you till the sun burns out, then I'm gone,' ergo 'I'm gonna love you forever.'" Wilson explained that "God Only Knows" was "a vision that Tony and I had. It's like being blind but in being blind, you can see more. You close your eyes; you're able to see a place or something that's happening."20 He initially hated the opening line of the song as "it was too negative." He eventually gave in after hearing the subsequent lyrics.21 In 1976, Brian said there was no one particular that the song was written for.22 Fusilli extrapolated that the song was "a mature proclamation of love and a desperate plea. And it's a distillation of what much of Pet Sounds is about: the sense that if we surrender to an all-consuming love, we will never be able to live without it. And, though we're uncertain that the reward is worth the risk, we yearn to surrender." Fusilli also noted a closing phrase Wilson had once written to his wife in 1964: "Yours 'til God wants us apart."23 James Perone wrote: "While Wilson's character may indeed be in love with the woman to whom he sings, there is a hint that part of this 'love' may be self-serving and part of a cycle of codependency."24 Asher denied that the song alluded to suicide.7 He describes his interpretation: This is the one song that I thought would be a hit record because it was so incredibly beautiful. I was concerned that maybe the lyrics weren't up to the same level as the music; how many love songs start off with the line, "I may not always love you"? I liked that twist, and fought to start the song that way. Working with Brian, I didn't have a whole lot of fighting to do, but I was certainly willing to fight to the end for that. ... "God Only Knows" is, to me, one of the great songs of our time. I mean the great songs. Not because I wrote the lyrics, but because it is an amazing piece of music that we were able to write a very compelling lyric to. It's the simplicity—the inference that "I am who I am because of you"—that makes it very personal and tender.21 "God Only Knows" is frequently cited for referencing "God" in its title,1 a decision that Wilson and Asher agonized over, fearing it would not get airplay as a result. As Wilson's then-wife Marilyn describes, "The first time I heard it, Brian played it for me at the piano. And I went, 'Oh my God, he's talking about God in a record.' It was pretty daring to me. And it was another time I thought to myself, 'Oh, boy, he's really taking a chance.' I thought it was almost too religious. Too square. At that time. Yes, it was so great that he would say it and not be intimidated by what anybody else would think of the words or what he meant."29 Asher explains that he and Brian "had lengthy conversations during the writing of 'God Only Knows', because unless you were Kate Smith and you were singing 'God Bless America', no one thought you could say 'God' in a song. No one had done it, and Brian didn't want to be the first person to try it. He said, 'We'll just never get any air play.' Isn't it amazing that we thought that? But it worked."21 Wilson added that although he feared putting the word "God" in the title of the song, he eventually agreed to keep it, firstly, "because God was a spiritual word", and secondly, because the Beach Boys would "be breaking ground".quotation to verify Jim DeRogatis states that, as was common in psychedelic rock, the spiritual invocations in "God Only Knows" express non-specific sentiments which could be addressed to any higher force, and that it is "less of a prayer than a sensitive meditation about moving forward in the face of loss".30 Even though the Wilson family did not grow up in "a particularly religious household",31 younger brother and bandmate Carl Wilson was described as "the most truly religious person I know" by Brian, and Carl was forthcoming about the group's spiritual beliefs stating: "We believe in God as a kind of universal consciousness. God is love. God is you. God is me. God is everything right here in this room. It's a spiritual concept which inspires a great deal of our music."32 Recording and productionedit The instrumental section of the song was recorded on March 10, 1966,7 at United Western Recorders, Hollywood, California,33 with the session engineered by Chuck Britz and produced by Brian Wilson. The instrumental part of the song took 20 takes to achieve what is the master take of the song.27 Present on the day of the instrumental recording was Carl on twelve string guitar34 among other session musicians collectively known as The Wrecking Crew. A strip of masking tape was placed over the strings of a piano while the bottoms of two plastic orange juice bottles were used for percussion.35 According to Brian, many of the musicians who were present at the "God Only Knows" sessions claim that those sessions were some of "the most magical, beautiful musical experiences they've ever heard".quotation to verify He added that there were 23 musicians present during the "God Only Knows" sessions, though only 16 are credited as being present on the actual take that was used for the final song.quotation to verify At the time, 23 musicians was an astoundingto whom? number of musicians for a pop record. All the musicians played simultaneously, creating "a rich, heavenly blanket of music".36 A string section was overdubbed thereafter.27 "I was honored to be able to sing that one. It is so beautifully written, it sings itself. Brian said something like, 'Don't do anything with it. Just sing it real straight. No effort. Take in a breath. Let it go real easy.' I was really grateful to be the one to sing that song. I felt extremely lucky." —Carl Wilson29 Brian originally intended to sing lead vocal on "God Only Knows" but after the instrumental portions of the song had been recorded, Brian thought Carl could impart the message better than he could.29 Brian reflected in October 1966, "I gave the song to Carl because I was looking for a tenderness and a sweetness which I knew Carl had in himself as well as in his voice. He brought dignity to the song and the words, through him, became not a lyric, but words."37 At the time, it was rare for Carl to sing lead on a Beach Boys song.16 Bruce Johnston explains that "Brian really worked a lot on 'God Only Knows', and at one point, he had all the Beach Boys, Terry Melcher and two of the Rovell sisters wife Marilyn and her sister Diane on it. It just got so overloaded; it was nuts. So he was smart enough to peel it all back, and he held voices back to the bridge, me at the top end, Carl in the middle and Brian on the bottom. At that point, Brian's right move was to get subtler. He had a very tender track here. 'God Only Knows' is a very small masterpiece with a major heartbeat, and he was right to peel everybody back and wind up with the three parts. In fact, it's probably the only well-known Beach Boys track that has just three voices on it."29 The final vocal track was recorded between March and April 1966 at CBS Columbia Square, Hollywood,33 with the session engineered by Ralph Balantin and produced by Brian. The song features three voices on the track. Carl is featured on lead vocals, with Brian and Johnston backing him. Johnston explained that, "The really cute thing is that at the end of the session, Carl was really tired, and he went home. So Brian ... remember, this was 8-track, so, he now has these extra tracks at his disposal. But there were just the two of us. So in the fade, he's singing two of the three parts. He sang the top and the bottom part and I sang in the middle."29 Brian used the production technique of double-tracking Carl's voice, so that his voice is simultaneously singing the same part twice, to give the vocal a fuller and richer sound; Brian used this technique often during the recording of Pet Sounds.The song's sessions concluded on April 11.3833 Personnel Sourced from Keith Badman27 and liner notes included with the 1999 mono/stereo reissue of Pet Sounds,39 except where otherwise noted. The Beach BoysBruce Johnston – harmony and backing vocals7 Brian Wilson – harmony and backing vocals7 Carl Wilson – lead and backing vocals,7 twelve string guitar34 Additional musicians Hal Blaine – drums Jesse Erlich – cello Carl Fortina – accordion Jim Gordon – "clip-clop" percussion727 Bill Green – flute Leonard Hartman – clarinet, bass clarinet Jim Horn – saxophone,27 flute39 Harry Hyams – viola27 Carol Kaye – electric bass William Kurasch – violin27 Leonard Malarsky – violin Jay Migliori – baritone saxophone Frank Marocco – accordion,7 clarinet27 Ray Pohlman – electric bass Larry Knechtel – Hammond B3,2739 harpsichordneeded Don Randi – piano Lyle Ritz – upright bass Alan Robinson – French horn Ralph Schaeffer – violin27 Sidney Sharp – violin Darrel Terwilliger – viola, violin "Tony" – sleigh bell72 Release history Cover released in Italian territories with flipped A and B-sides The song first appeared on the Beach Boys' classic 1966 album Pet Sounds in monophonic sound format. Initially, Brian considered releasing it as a single under Carl Wilson's name, but the group were in demand for a new single. Because their impending "Good Vibrations" was not yet ready, "God Only Knows" was issued instead.40 On July 11, 1966, it was issued as the B-side of the American "Wouldn't It Be Nice" single. In other territories, the song was the A-side.7 When first released it only reached 39 on the US charts in 1966.41 Treated as the A-side across Europe, it was a success, peaking at number 2 in the UK,42 and in national charts cited contemporarily by Billboard: 3 in Ireland, 4 in the Netherlands and Belgium, 6 in Norway, 22 in Germany; and 2 in Australia.needed In September, the song peaked at 6 in Canada and 24 in France.43 Domenic Priore reports that in some parts of the United States, "God Only Knows" was banned from radio for blasphemy.32 Variations= The song appears in several stages of the recording process on The Pet Sounds Sessions box set, including its original monophonic mix; the first ever original stereophonic mix of the song, which was mixed by Mark Linett; highlights from the tracking dates, which documents the progress of the recording of the instrumental track; the finished instrumental track; an a cappella mix of the song; an alternate version, with a saxophone solo; another alternate version with an a cappella tag; and a version with Brian singing lead vocals. Live versions= Live recordings appear on three of the band's albums: Live In London (1970), Good Timin': Live at Knebworth England 1980 (2002), and Live – The 50th Anniversary Tour (2013). Following the song's original release, it became Carl Wilson's signature song during live shows.needed It appeared at almost all live shows and was prominently featured until his death in 1998, when it was dropped from setlists for three years.needed For The Beach Boys 50th Anniversary Tour, a video of Carl with vocals from the Live at Knebworth England 1980 concert was played with live backing vocals and instruments by the band. For concerts where there was no video screen, Brian took the lead.needed As solo artists, Brian released live versions of the song on Live At The Roxy Theatre (2000) and Pet Sounds Live (2002); Al Jardine released a live version on Live in Las Vegas (2001). Recognition The level of Wilson's studio artistry–he used session musicians, double-tracking, and other techniques–was astounding. "God Only Knows" literally remade the ideal of the popular love song (using, for example, harpsichord and French horn as melodic instruments in the song); it stands as one of the most complex—and beautiful—songs in the annals of American popular music. “ ” —John Robert Greene, America in the Sixties5 Author Barry Miles wrote that it was one track of Pet Sounds which proved that rock music was an art form.44 Mojo magazine ranked the song as the 13th greatest song of all time. In a poll on the MTV station, Vh1, it placed at number 28 on the UK's Nation's Favourite Lyric. It was voted by listeners of BBC Radio 2 as one of the three songs that changes people's lives.needed In its list of the 100 best singles of the last 50 years, Popdose ranked "God Only Knows" at number 1, saying: "It is simply one of the most beautifully composed and arranged songs in the history of not just pop music, but Western music. To place 'God Only Knows' in its proper context is to compare it not just to 1966 Paul McCartney, but 1836 Frederic Chopin."45 Paul McCartney has called it his favorite song of all time.46 In an interview with David Leaf in 1990 he stated, "I was asked recently to give my top 10 favorite songs for a Japanese radio station ... I didn't think long and hard on it but I popped that Only Knows on the top of my list. It's very deep. Very emotional, always a bit of a choker for me, that one."29 Speaking on a special Radio 1 show to mark the British station's 40th anniversary, McCartney said: "'God Only Knows' is one of the few songs that reduces me to tears every time I hear it. It's really just a love song, but it's brilliantly done. It shows the genius of Brian. I've actually performed it with him and I'm afraid to say that during the sound check I broke down. It was just too much to stand there singing this song that does my head in and to stand there singing it with Brian."47 Referencing this, Brian responded apprehensively in the 1970s: "Like, if 'God Only Knows' is the greatest song ever written, then I'll never write anything as good again! And if I never write anything as good, then I'm finished."48 The song inspired songwriter Margo Guryan to move into writing pop music. She said: "I thought it was just gorgeous. I bought the record and played it a million times, then sat down and wrote 'Think of Rain.' That's really how I started writing that way. I just decided it was better than what was happening in jazz."49 Bob Stanley of Saint Etienne wrote that "It's impossible to exaggerate how beautiful this song is. Everywhere, it takes risks."50 Bono said in October 2006 during Brian Wilson's induction into the UK Music Hall of Fame that "the string arrangement on 'God Only Knows' is fact and proof of angels".quotation to verify Jimmy Webb, an American popular music composer, has also stated his love for the song, stating, "I love 'God Only Knows' and its bow to the baroque that goes all the way back to 1740 and Johann Sebastian Bach. It represents the whole tradition of liturgical music that I feel is a spiritual part of Brian's music. And Carl's singing is pretty much at its pinnacle—as good as it ever got."21 In a 2003 solo concert in Tel Aviv, Steven Wilson, frontman of Porcupine Tree, declared "God Only Knows" as his favorite song of all time. On the Insurgentes listening party that took place in Mexico City in 2009, Steven Wilson said it was a perfect song. Simon Neil of Scottish band Biffy Clyro has the lyrics "God only knows what I'd be without you" tattooed across his chest.51 English broadcaster Dominic King deemed it the most "perfectly constructed song in pop history".16 Brian's mother, Audree Wilson, believes that "God Only Knows" was one of Brian's finest ever compositions, as she stated in an interview: "'God Only Knows' ... What can you say about it? I still think it's one of his greatest pieces."29 Instrumental flourishes made famous by "God Only Knows" often appear in other artists' works in tribute to Wilson. An example of this can be heard in the 1993 single "The Ghost At Number One" by Jellyfish. It was featured in the films Boogie Nights and Love Actually, also serving as the opening music for the first three seasons of HBO polygamy drama Big Love.7 The video game BioShock Infinite contains a turn-of-the-century barbershop quartet that sings the song while floating past the player on an airship. As the game is set in 1912, the song is used anachronistically, one of many time-bending experiences which characterize the game. It also gives a hint for the player of what is in store for the protagonist.needed It also appears in the game's credits. The song also appears during the final scene of The Wonder Years episode "Heartbreak", playing as Winnie Cooper tells Kevin she's met someone new. Charts Chart (1966) Peak position Australia Go-Set 17 Norway VG-lista 6 UK Singles Chart 2 U.S. Billboard Hot 100 39 Covers See also: List of cover versions of Beach Boys songs 1967 – Andy Williams7 1977 – Glen Campbell7 1977 – Neil Diamond7 1974 – Olivia Newton-John7 1984 – David Bowie, Tonight52 1989 – Tatsuro Yamashita, Joy 1993 – Elvis Costello, The Juliet Letters 2001 – The Langley Schools Music Project, Innocence & Despair 2004 – Mandy Moore7 2004 – Michael Stipe7 2004 – Joss Stone7 2006 – Michael Armstrong, Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of the Beach Boys 2006 – Daniel Johnston, Do It Again: A Tribute to Pet Sounds 2010 – Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.7 2010 – Rivers Cuomo7 2011 – Taylor Swift7 2012 – The Flaming Lips, Pet Sounds Revisited 2012 – Wilson Phillips, Dedicated53 2013 – A Mighty Wind, Bioshock Infinite 2013 - Charles Lloyd on Hagar's Song 2014 – She & Him 2014 – Paul Dano, Love & Mercy54 BBC Music version "God Only Knows" Single by Brian Wilson and Various artists Released October 7, 2014 Format Digital download Recorded 2014 Length 2:25 Label BBC Music Writer(s) Brian Wilson · Tony Asher Producer(s) Ethan Johns Brian Wilson chronology "The Like in I Love You" (2011) "God Only Knows" (2014) "The Right Time (2015) Music video "God Only Knows - BBC Music" on YouTube A cover version of the song was simulcast across BBC television and radio channels on October 7, 2014, to launch BBC Music. It featured Brian Wilson himself and other major artists from different musical genres (creating a supergroup called the Impossible Orchestra). The music video, directed by François Rousselet, features the artists in lavish, fantastical computer generated settings.55 The track was released the following day as a charity single for Children in Need 2014.56 Wilson said: "All of the artists did such a beautiful job ... I can’t thank them enough, I'm just honored that 'God Only Knows' was chosen. 'God Only Knows' is a very special song. An extremely spiritual song and one of the best I've ever written."57 Despite the musicians all performing free, the promotion has drawn some criticism in the press. Adam Sherwin wrote in The Independent: "With its message, that the BBC 'owns' the entire musical waterfront and licence-fee payers would do well to remember that, it is the kind of propaganda film an autocratic regime sensing that its legitimacy is crumbling might produce."58 Writing for The Guardian, Alex Petridis observed "There's clearly something a little self-aggrandising about the BBC getting a raft of stars to sing an unambiguous song of undying devotion apparently to the corporation itself. ... perhaps we should forgive them three minutes of self-congratulation, particularly when it’s raising money for charity."59 The Daily Telegraph, however, reported that the project cost less than the 1997 version of "Perfect Day" which drew much of the same criticism but went on to raise over £2 million for charity.55 Accompanied by the BBC Concert Orchestra, each of the following performers are listed in order of appearance, singing vocals unless otherwise specified:60 Martin James Bartlett – celeste Pharrell Williams Emeli Sandé Elton John (the only artist who also performed on the 1997 version of "Perfect Day") Lorde Chris Martin Brian Wilson Florence Welch Kylie Minogue Stevie Wonder – vocals, harmonica61 Eliza Carthy Nicola Benedetti – violin Jools Holland – piano Brian May – electric guitar Jake Bugg Katie Derham – violin Tees Valley Youth Choir Alison Balsom – piccolo trumpet One Direction Jaz Dhami Paloma Faith Chrissie Hynde Jamie Cullum Baaba Maal Danielle de Niese Dave Grohl Sam Smith Lauren Laverne, Gareth Malone, and Zane Lowe also appear in the video.62 Charts Chart (2014) Peak position Ireland (IRMA)63 77 Israel (Media Forest)64 10 Scotland (Official Charts Company)65 18 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)66 20 Notes 1.Jump up ^ David Howard called it the first pop single to name "God" in its title.25 Steven Gaines,26 Keith Badman,27 and Tony Asher21 have said that nobody had named "God" in a pop song's title before. Despite this, Philip Lambert noted that doo-wop combo the Capris had issued a song in 1954 with the title "God Only Knows".28 2.Jump up ^ Speculated by Mark Dillon to be Tony Asher.7 References 1.Jump up ^ Jones 1995, p. 214. 2.^ Jump up to: a b c d Downes 2014, p. 37. 3.Jump up ^ Hann, Michael (October 8, 2014). "The BBC's God Only Knows cover – every performance reviewed and rated". The Guardian. 4.Jump up ^ DeRogatis 2003, p. 20. 5.^ Jump up to: a b Greene 2010, p. 155. 6.^ Jump up to: a b "200 Greatest Songs of the 1960s". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2010-07-24. 7.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Dillon 2012. 8.Jump up ^ "500 Songs That Shaped Rock". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 15, 2014. 9.Jump up ^ Gary Ewer, from "The Essential Secrets of Songwriting" 10.Jump up ^ Lambert 2007, p. 246. 11.^ Jump up to: a b Lambert 2007, p. 245. 12.Jump up ^ Downes 2014, p. 38. 13.Jump up ^ "Comments by Carl Wilson". The Pet Sounds Sessions (Booklet). The Beach Boys. Capitol Records. 1997. 14.Jump up ^ Harrison 1997, pp. 39, 42. 15.Jump up ^ Lambert 2007, p. 228. 16.^ Jump up to: a b c King, Dominic (2005). "Sold on Song Top 100 - God Only Knows". BBC. 17.Jump up ^ Lambert 2007, pp. 227, 245. 18.Jump up ^ Fusilli 2005, p. 102. 19.Jump up ^ Viney, Liam (July 12, 2015). "Love & Mercy: what Brian Wilson’s story tells us about genius and music". The Conversation. 20.Jump up ^ Leaf, David (1997). The Pet Sounds Sessions (CD Liner). The Beach Boys. Capitol Records. 21.^ Jump up to: a b c d e Granata 2003. 22.Jump up ^ Fornatale, Pete (November 3, 1976). "Interview with Brian Wilson" (MP3). NY Radio Archive. WNEW-FM 102.7. 23.Jump up ^ Fusilli 2005, p. 101. 24.Jump up ^ Perone 2012. 25.Jump up ^ Howard 2004, p. 65. 26.Jump up ^ Gaines 1986, p. 147. 27.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k Badman 2004, p. 121. 28.Jump up ^ Lambert 2007, p. 244. 29.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g The Pet Sounds Sessions: "The Making Of Pet Sounds" booklet 30.Jump up ^ DeRogatis 2003, pp. 20, 35–36. 31.Jump up ^ DeRogatis 2003, p. 35. 32.^ Jump up to: a b Priore 2005. 33.^ Jump up to: a b c Doe, Andrew Grayham. "GIGS66". Endless Summer Quarterly. Retrieved October 5, 2014. 34.^ Jump up to: a b Elliott, Brad (August 31, 1999). "Pet Sounds Track Notes". beachboysfanclub.com. Retrieved March 3, 2009. 35.Jump up ^ Leaf, David (1990). Party/Stack-O-Tracks (CD Liner). The Beach Boys. Capitol Records. 36.Jump up ^ Zak 2001, p. 88. 37.Jump up ^ "Brian behind the BEACH BOYS". Hit Parader: 11. October 4, 1966. 38.Jump up ^ Badman 2004, pp. 121–126. 39.^ Jump up to: a b c Pet Sounds (CD Liner). The Beach Boys. Capitol Records. 1999. 40.Jump up ^ Badman 2004, p. 142. 41.Jump up ^ "Pet Sounds Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-08-21. 42.Jump up ^ "Beach Boys singles". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2014-08-21. 43.Jump up ^ Badman 2004, p. 145. 44.Jump up ^ Miles 2009, p. 237. 45.Jump up ^ "The Popdose 100: Our Favorite Singles of the Last 50 Years". 46.Jump up ^ Guarisco, D.A. "God Only Knows". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-02-27. 47.Jump up ^ "An Evening with Brian Wilson". International Committee of the Fourth International. October 24, 2007. 48.Jump up ^ Kent 2009, p. 3. 49.Jump up ^ Broome, Eric (September 2001). "Margo Guryan". Mean Street magazine. Retrieved 26 July 2013. 50.Jump up ^ Stanley 2013, p. 220. 51.Jump up ^ ""Weird Rock": A Conversation with Simon Neil and Ben and James Johnston of Biffy Clyro". Pop Zap. Retrieved 2011-06-28. 52.Jump up ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "David Bowie - Tonight". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 December 2015. 53.Jump up ^ . AllMusic http://www.allmusic.com/album/dedicated-mw0002314045. Retrieved September 18, 2014. Missing or empty |title= (help) 54.Jump up ^ Fear, David (September 13, 2014). "Heroes and Villains: 'Love & Mercys Paul Dano on Playing Brian Wilson". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 13, 2014. 55.^ Jump up to: a b "God only knows how the BBC made this video". Telegraph.co.uk. 9 October 2014. 56.Jump up ^ "BBC Music’s God Only Knows in aid of BBC Children in Need". BBC. October 7, 2014. 57.Jump up ^ "BBC unveil all-star version of God Only Knows, 17 years after Perfect Day". The Guardian. October 7, 2014. 58.Jump up ^ "God Only Knows BBC music video: Like a propaganda film made by a dictatorship losing its credibility". The Independent. October 8, 2014. 59.Jump up ^ "God Only Knows: not quite a perfect day as BBC sings its own praises". The Guardian. October 7, 2014. 60.Jump up ^ "Launches with God Only Knows, a star-studded film featuring 'The Impossible Orchestra'". BBC Music. October 7, 2014. 61.Jump up ^ 1 62.Jump up ^ "BBC Music - BBC Music - Who's in the Impossible Orchestra?". BBC. 7 October 2014. 63.Jump up ^ "Chart Track: Week 42, 2014". Irish Singles Chart. 64.Jump up ^ "Various – God Only Knows Media Forest". Israeli Airplay Chart. Media Forest. Retrieved October 23rd, 2014. 65.Jump up ^ "Archive Chart: 2014-10-18". Scottish Singles Top 40. Retrieved 12 October 2014. 66.Jump up ^ "Archive Chart: 2014-10-18" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 12 October 2014. Sources Badman, Keith (2004). The Beach Boys: The Definitive Diary of America's Greatest Band, on Stage and in the Studio. Backbeat Books. ISBN 978-0-87930-818-6. DeRogatis, Jim (2003). Turn on Your Mind: Four Decades of Great Psychedelic Rock. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 978-0-634-05548-5. Dillon, Mark (2012). Fifty Sides of the Beach Boys: The Songs That Tell Their Story. ECW Press. ISBN 978-1-77090-198-8. Downes, Stephen (2014). Aesthetics of Music: Musicological Perspectives. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-136-48691-3. Fusilli, Jim (2005). The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4411-1266-8. Gaines, Steven (1986). Heroes and Villains: The True Story of The Beach Boys (1. Da Capo Press ed.). New York: Da Capo Press. ISBN 0306806479. Granata, Charles L. (2003). I Just Wasn't Made for These Times: Brian Wilson and the Making of the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds. London: Unanimous. ISBN 978-1556525070. Greene, John Robert (2010). America in the Sixties. Syracuse University Press. ISBN 978-0-8156-5133-8. Harrison, Daniel (1997). "After Sundown: The Beach Boys' Experimental Music" (PDF). In Covach, John; Boone, Graeme M. Understanding Rock: Essays in Musical Analysis. Oxford University Press. pp. 33–57. ISBN 9780199880126. Howard, David N. (2004). Sonic Alchemy: Visionary Music Producers and Their Maverick Recordings (1. edition. ed.). Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Hal Leonard. ISBN 9780634055607. Jones, Andrew (1995). 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External links "God Only Knows" at Last.fm Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Category:1966 singles Category:1973 singles Category:1966 songs Category:1960s ballads Category:Songs written by Tony Asher Category:Songs written by Brian Wilson Category:Pop ballads Category:The Beach Boys songs Category:Song recordings produced by Brian Wilson Category:Capitol Records singles Category:Charity singles Category:All-star recordings Category:2014 singles Category:Brian Wilson songs